The Syrian army pummeled southern Damascus on Monday in an effort to isolate Islamic State militants and force them to surrender or evacuate, state media reported. The area is the last part of the capital outside the regime’s control.
This comes as Russia said Monday that its Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria has helped more than 1,000 rebel fighters and their families evacuate from nearby eastern Qalamoun. Meanwhile, the European Union and United Nations kicked off the seventh annual conference on Syria today in Brussels in hopes of collecting more than $6 billion in new aid pledges and reviving the Geneva peace process. Read More
dailystar.com.lb
Houthi leader killed in Saudi airstrike
A Saudi-led coalition airstrike in Yemen's eastern province of Hodeida last week killed the head of the Houthi rebels' Supreme Political Council, Saleh al-Sammad, the Houthi-run Saba news agency confirmed Monday. This comes a day after airstrikes on a wedding in Yemen’s northern Hajjah province killed dozens of civilians, including children. On Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres decried the airstrikes and called for an investigation.
Meanwhile, five pro-government soldiers were killed in clashes with jihadis in the southern city of Taiz on Monday. The clashes follow the killing of Lebanese aid worker. Read More
al-monitor.com